CleanTechies
CleanTechies Podcast
#182 Voluntary Carbon Markets, Investing in 100+ CDR Startups, Hard-to-Abate Sectors, & More w/ Marian Krueger (remove)
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#182 Voluntary Carbon Markets, Investing in 100+ CDR Startups, Hard-to-Abate Sectors, & More w/ Marian Krueger (remove)

How a CDR investing OG looks at the current day CDR landscape.

Why don't CDR experts ever get lost?

Because they always know how to sequester! (which apparently means to find one’s way AND capturing and storing carbon) 🤯

🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, Founder edition.

Today, we are talking to Marian Krueger of remove.

Marian Krueger comes to us with his experience investing in 120+ early stage CDR startups, and broke down what we should look for and what’s worth watching in the years ahead.

He’s a leading expert in CDR having invested in Europe, which is the leading CDR ecosystem in the world.

Sitting down with him as a blast, and for our US listeners, this episode is VERY timely with the Biden Administration’s first release on voluntary carbon markets, Enjoy 🥳👏.


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🚨Attention! 🚨 We interrupt your regular programming for an important message.

ClimateTech founders are taking on a huge challenge. Building a climate startup is highly complex but also SO NECESSARY if we are going to save the climate. Founders not only you need to understand how to build a startup, but you also need to understand how to deal with hardware, have a strong handle on climate policy, know how to fundraise from diverse investors types, etc. etc. etc…

It’s a lot.

That’s why we make CleanTechies. The #1 Podcast for ClimateTech Entrepreneurs.

In addition to our jobs, we devote ~20 hours a week to producing this podcast for you. This way, you can learn from others who have walked the path you’re on now, learn from their mistakes, and gain insights on navigating this complex world.

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The Guest: Marian Krueger

  • Marian Krueger is the Co-Founder & Managing Director of remove, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting carbon removal entrepreneurs in Europe and beyond.

  • Based in Zurich, Marian has a rich background in climate and energy sectors. His journey began as a founder of a startup in the solar PV space, which used drones and AI to optimize large solar parks across Europe.

  • After his startup was acquired, he joined ETH Zurich's Sustainability and Business Lab, where he led decarbonization projects for hard-to-abate sectors like maritime shipping and cement.

  • This role inspired the creation of remove to address the (still) nascent carbon removal market by supporting startups and fostering an ecosystem for their growth.


The Company: remove

One Liner: accelerating CDR startups with ecosystem-building initiatives, policy & grants, and founder support

remove is a nonprofit accelerator co-founded and led by Marian Krüger, based in Zurich. The organization focuses on supporting CDR entrepreneurs in Europe and beyond.

remove operates by providing grants instead of taking equity, allowing startups to extend their runway and focus on survival in the nascent carbon removal market. The organization emphasizes a systemic approach, identifying and addressing gaps in the carbon removal industry, and supports a diverse range of carbon removal methods, from technological solutions like direct air capture to nature-based methods like afforestation.

remove also plays a crucial role in shaping policy and advocating for early-stage financing and regulatory support, ensuring the sector's growth and sustainability.


Do you have suggestions on future guests or topics? Leave a comment!

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📝 Show Notes:

Topics

  • 02:41 Introduction

  • 05:08 Challenges of the Voluntary Carbon Market

  • 16:30 CDR Startups

  • 17:53 Impact-Driven Motivation of CDR Founders

  • 26:32 Gaps in the CDR Space

  • 32:27 Role of Policy in Carbon Removal

  • 39:03 Prioritization, Universities, and A-Teams

  • 42:10 Collaboration and Partnerships

  • 42:51 Takeaways

Links


Asks 👋

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If you couldn’t already tell, we care a lot about ClimateTech founders 😂


🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see y’all next episode!

Discussion about this podcast

CleanTechies
CleanTechies Podcast
We are CleanTechies, the #1 Podcast for ClimateTech Entrepreneurs. Whether you’re an active ClimateTech entrepreneur, an aspiring one, an investor, a service provider…anything that touches supporting early stage climate tech, this is the place for you.
Each week, we publish two interviews with leading experts in the field telling their stories, insights, and advice to help ClimateTech Entrepreneurs like you be inspired by their successes and learn from their mistakes.